Flowing oil-well



(No Model.)

R. HAGAN.

` PLOWING oIL WELL. 110.249,231.

Patented Nov. 8.1881.

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n PETERS. Phalouenompmwanhinglm D. c.

'UNiTEEn STATES g PATENT Carrere..

RICHARD EAGAN, oF BRA'DERD, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPECIFICATION forminglpart of Letters Patent No. 249,231, dated November 8, 1881. Application filed August 20, 1881. (No model.)A

,To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that l, RICHARD EAG'AN, of Bradford, in the county ot' McKean and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and use` ful Improvements in Flowing Oil .Wells, of which the following is a specification. y

This invention relates to that class of oilwells in which the oil is driven up through the well-tubing by the pressure of the' gas in the oil-bearing stratum of sand. l y

In this class of wells the liow of ol is frequently reduced toa very considerable extent,

or entirely suspended, by the accumulation of `water in the well 4,and tubing when the gaspressure is insufficient to expel this water from the tubing, As the water accumulates inthe well it closes theseams of the oil-bearing sand,

thereby gradually reducing the gas-pressurein the well until the y pressure ceases to be suilicient to elevate the oil to the surface, when the well stops iiowing. l

The objectof myinvention is lo construct the tubingof flowingwells in'such manner that the gas-pressure in the well is .applied in the most effective manner and the water prevented from` accumulatingin the well, thereby increasing.

the iiowing capacity of the well and prevent ing interruptions in its operation.

My invention consists, first, in combining with the inlet through which the oil is admitted into the tubing from the well a contracted How-pipe anda check-valve arranged in the lower portion of the ilow-pipe to prevent the return of the liquid from the tlow-pipe into the well, thereby increasing the gas-pressure upon the' liquid in itheflow-pipe and avoiding the accumulation of water in the well; also, of the particular construction of the check-valve and ofthe parts by which the iiow-pipe is con-` nected with the tubing, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a partly sectional elevation of an oil-well pro! vided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is avertical section of the lower part of the How-pipe and the adjacent portion of the tubing. Fig.

3 is an elevation of the lower part of thetlowpipe, with the adjacent portion of the tubing in section. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are horizontal sections in""lines a: a', y y, and a a, Fig. 2, respect-` ively.

twoinches in the clear.

,and D is a cast sleeve, which connects the two portions B and C ofthe tubing- E represents a packing, of any well-known construction, applied to the outer side of the tubing C, above the oil-bearing sand,in.the usual manner.

G represents the contracted dow pipe arranged within the upper tubing, C, and havingpreferably a diameter of about one inch in the clear, the tubing() being ordinarilyabout The lower end of the How-pipe Gr is attached to a sleeve, H, arranged Within the tubing() and containing the check-valve I. The latter is seated upon the f upper end of a tube, K, which is attached to the lower end of the sleeve H, andjextcnds downward therefrom. The sleeve H is provided above the valve I with several inwardlyprojecting teeth or stops, 71 which limit the upward movement of the valve, and have openings between them for the passage of the liquid into the flow-pipe G, the sides of the chamber in which the valve I plays being imperforate. i

The tubeKis surrounded bya packing-ring, L, of india-rubber or other suitable material, which is held on the tube between two undercut shoulders, Z l', the shoulder lbeing formed inthe lower end of the sleeveH, to which the upper end of the tube K is attached, and the shoulder l being formedin the upper end ot'a Y collar, M, which is attached to the lower end of the tube K. The parts are connected togeth er by screw-threads, as shown in the drawings. The lower end of the collarM is rounded and fits in a slightlytapering portion, n, of the bore of the sleeve D, in which it seats itself tightly when the flow-pipe has reached its proper place. The packing ring L projects slightly beyond the peri pheries of the sleeve H and collar M, and its external' diameter is slightly larger than the bore of the sleeve D,

I OO

area than the tubing B, and the gas-pressure,

acting upon this smaller area, is therefore bet ter able to lift the column ot' liquid in the flow-pipe. If, from any cause, the flow of liqnid through the {low-pipe G is so muchretarded that the water mixed with the oil`in the dow-pipe tends to work to the bottom, the check-valve I closes and prevents the waterin the flow-pipe from Vreturning to the well. In this manner the accumulation of water-in wells which are decientin gas-pressure is avoided, and a steady flow of oil is obtained from wells which would otherwise entirely fail to flow. rEhe liquid is but slightly deected from its upward course in passing through the chamber in which the valve I is arranged, whereby the resistance which the valve offers to the passage ofthe liquid is reduced to a minimum.

I am aware that contracted How-pipes have been employed in iiowing wells for the-purpose ofincreasing the effect of the gas-pressure upon the oil,randthat in connection with such contracted how-pipes, packers and casing have been used, which prevent the waterfroni [iowing into the well from above the packer, andthe escape of gas from the well, except through the contracted'iiow-pipe, and this I do not claim; but

\ I claim as my invention- Y l. In a tlowing well, the combination, with the inlet-tubing B lb, oi the contracted tlowpipe G K, and a checlrvalve, I, arranged in thelower portion of the flow-pipe, whereby an increased effect of the gas-pressure upon the liquid in the dow-pipe is produced and the accumulation of water in the well is prevented, l

substantially as set forth.

2. In a owing well, the combination, with the inlet-tubing B b, upper tubing, C, and sleeve D, ofthe contracted dow-pipe G, sleeve H, check-valve I, and tube K, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the inlet-tubing B b, upper tubing, C, and sleeve D, of thecontracted flow-pipe G, sleeve H, tube K, collar IVI, and packing-ring L, surrounding the tube K between the sleeveHand collar M, substantially as set -forth.

4t. The combination, with the sleeve I),\hav

ing its bore provided with a lower contracted conical portion, n, of a How-tube, K, provided with a cap, M, adapted to seat itself inthe conical portion n of the bore, substantially as set forth. v

5. The combination, with the sleeve D, having its borcvconstructed with lan upper daring l portion, o, of a flow-pipe, G K, provided with a. packing-ring, L, adapted to be compressed by the conical portion o of the bore, substantially as set forth.

6. The eombinauon, with the sleeve D, having a vbore provided with conical portions n' 0,

of a How-pipe, G K, provided with a packingring, L, and cap M, substantially as and for the purpose set forth..

7. The combination, with the valve I, of the sleeve H, having imperi-crate side walls, and provided with stops h above the valve I, having openings between them for the passage of the liquid, substantially as set forth.

RICHARD EAGAN.

Witnesses JNO. J. lBONNER, EDw. J. BRADY. 

